If networks are as excited about actor-director Jerry Hayes’ new TV pilot, “The 10th,” as test audiences were, it could air as early as this fall.

That’s great news for the cast and crew of the Michigan-based drama about five black families living in Birmingham. But — for those who know Hayes — the real soap opera here is that he is alive and back on the stage again.

“I feel happy that I have worked on something unique and inspiring and that I have laid down a form of permanent record in the art that I love in case something happens to me,” says Hayes of Clinton Township, who walked away from acting almost 13 years ago, because of the chronic pain and neurological symptoms brought on by late-stage Lyme disease and a stroke.

“My hope with this was to create an independent series that showcases the talent here (in Michigan). It’s kind of a ‘Dallas,’ ‘Knots Landing’ kind of show, but from the black perspective. I don’t think anything like this has been done before.”

Advertisement

Treading in unknown waters is nothing new for Hayes. As a child growing up the last thing his mother wanted him to do was be an actor. “You’ll starve,” is what she would say to her son, whose Greek ancestry is evident in his smile and thick and curly black hair. “Be a lawyer, president, anything but an artist,” were her pleas.

“Ironically, she was the most artistic person I ever met,” Hayes says. “Very creative, hairdresser and interior designer.” Not to mention his biggest fan.

“As a kid I would watch movies. Then I would act out parts,” Hayes continued. “She would invite our neighbors to come over and watch me.”

She knew there was no stopping him.

So enthralled was he with theater, he once skipped school to spend the day at the library reading about method actors such as Paul Muni.

“He was one of the greatest actors of his time. I was curious. I wanted to know what made him so great,” Hayes says.

Having discovered that Muni prepared intensely for his roles, Hayes did the same. Whether he was a supporting actor or the star, he fervently prepared for his part. Until he found out Jackie Gleason never read the script more than once, and he decided to experiment.

“I read the script once and went out and did it. I closed what should have been a 45-minute play in 10 minutes, because I was unprepared,” he says.

“I ran home in tears,” he added. “I was no Jackie Gleason.”

His drama teacher, understanding his need to redeem himself, immediately encouraged him to return to the stage and agreed to let him act and direct a play he had been reading at the library, “A Hatful of Rain.” It was a rarity for its time, with its frank depiction of the effects of morphine addiction, and a mighty task for a teenager.

“She never clipped my wings,” Hayes says. “She trusted me and this time I was prepared.”

He even went so far as to insist the actor playing the pregnant girlfriend wear a pillow every day for an hour so her waddle would be natural.

Joining him on this production was Hayes’ longtime friend and acting partner, Don Couture. As Couture recalls, Hayes’ production moved the audience to tears.

“Jerry and I had a scene together where he and I went totally off script, ad-libbing for what was said to be 20 minutes but totally in character and on the subject,” says Couture, who also has a role in “The 10th.” By the time they were done, even the macho football coach tearfully proclaimed it the best damn play he ever saw. “That was the defining moment for me,” Hayes says. “I knew that I wanted to be a dramatic actor.”

But the drama of his own life got in the way.

He was in the Army. He got married. Then he wasn’t married. He studied acting and went on auditions. At one point, German actor Jürgen Prochnow, who was auditioning actors in Michigan, told Hayes he was not right for the part but could see that he could act. “The camera loves you,” he said to Hayes before suggesting he move to California.

A week later, Hayes ran into Robert Wagner, who passed along some acting advice, as Hayes’ favorite actor, Spencer Tracey, did for Wagner when he was a young actor. Hayes went to Los Angeles and not only fell into the groove of acting but became friends with industry professionals such as actor Tim Gibbs (“One Life to Live”).

But instead of attending auditions he studied acting again — this time among actors including Jeff Goldblum and James Franco.

“I remember Tim and I would talk about the art of acting until 2 a.m. sometimes, and he would always say to me, ‘Where the hell did you learn all this?’” Hayes says, looking exhausted.

He had shared details about the better part of his life. What he did not want to share at great length were the years of pain that he suffered before finally being diagnosed with Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that is spread through the bite of some ticks. Once it enters the bloodstream it can affect every major organ in the body.

Hayes talks about it so that others might get the diagnosis they need before their time is wasted — but also to encourage young actors to never give up on their dreams.

After his diagnosis and recovery from a stroke, he forced himself to take an acting role. Not to study, but to audition for a job. That’s when the stars aligned for Hayes.

“Collaborating with Lee has been very rewarding and I’m looking forward to our future projects,” he says. It’s also by putting himself out there that Hayes became involved in “The 10th.”

“Jerry is a true gift,” says Barika Pace, co-writer and producer of “The 10th.” “He has an amazing work ethic. It is his passion and love for film making that drew us to (him).”

“I believe once you make a decision to do something, the universe aligns to help you,” Hayes says. “I have to pace myself, but I’m learning to be effective.”

About the Author

Gina Joseph is a multimedia journalist and columnist for The Macomb Daily. Reach the author at gina.joseph@macombdaily.com Follow @ginaljoseph on Twitter or visit her beat blog macomblife.blogspot.com Reach the author at gina.joseph@macombdaily.com
.